Kobena Mercer in Welcome to the Jungle introduced the notion of ethnic androgyny to describe Michael Jackson’s paling of his skin and re-shaping his nose. Mercer explores the idea that Michael Jackson changed his skin colour not to be white, but to be a light-skinned Black man. Jackson’s whole remodelling of his hair, face and [...]
We said goodbye to Earth Kitt this Thursday. She was 81 and wonderful. Let’s gloss over the performances in apartheid South Africa during the cultural boycott. She was blacklisted for speaking out against the Vietnam war. And created the iconic Catwoman. Orson Welles describe her as “the most exciting woman in the world.” She will [...]